BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES Senator McGuire, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Bill No: AB 592 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Author: |Mark Stone | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |----------+-----------------------+-----------+-----------------| |Version: |June 18, 2015 |Hearing |June 23, 2015 | | | |Date: | | |----------+-----------------------+-----------+-----------------| |Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes | ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Consultant|Sara Rogers | |: | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Juveniles: proof of dependency or wardship SUMMARY This bill permits the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to provide to a person who was formerly placed in foster care, upon request, proof of his or her placement in foster care, as specified. ABSTRACT Existing law: 1)Provides that any child who has suffered, or is at risk of suffering, serious physical or emotional harm, as defined, shall be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court which may adjudge that person to be a dependent child of the court, as specified. (WIC 300) 2)Permits a court to terminate its dependency, delinquency, or transition jurisdiction over a nonminor dependent between the time the nonminor reaches the age of majority and 21 years of age. (WIC 303) 3)At any termination hearing, requires a county welfare department to submit a report that verifies that the following information has been provided to the nonminor (WIC 391): AB 592 (Mark Stone) PageB of? Written information about the nonminor's dependency case, including family history, Indian heritage, available family photographs, except as specified, whereabouts of siblings under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, except as specified, and information about how to access their case file. Essential personal documents including the social security card, a certified copy of the birth certificate, the health and education summary, as specified, driver's license or identification card, any applicable death certificates for the nonminor's parents, proof of citizenship, an advance health care directive, forms used to resume dependency, and a written 90-day transition plan. A letter containing information about the nonminor including name and date of birth, and the dates during which the nonminor was a foster youth. Referrals to transitional housing, assistance in obtaining employment or other financial support, assistance in applying to college or to a vocational education program, assistance in maintaining relationships with individuals who are important to the nonminor, assistance in accessing the Independent Living Aftercare Program, and other information. This bill: 1)Permits CDSS to provide a former dependent or ward who was in foster care, upon request by that person, the proof of dependency of wardship document that was provided to the youth in the dependency or wardship termination hearing report, or any information necessary to provide verification that the person was formerly a dependent or ward and placed in foster care. AB 592 (Mark Stone) PageC of? FISCAL IMPACT According to an Assembly Appropriations analysis, this bill is estimated to have minor, likely absorbable costs to CDSS, depending on the number of requests received. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION Purpose of the bill: According to the author, former foster youth must meet strict application deadlines when applying for benefits or programs, many of which require county verification of the youth's prior foster care status. The author states that, as youth move across counties, it can be difficult to obtain this documentation from the county in which the youth emancipated from foster care. According to the author, many youth request this information from the foster care ombudsman, however CDSS has determined it does not have legal authority to disseminate the documentation. This bill would provide CDSS with the authority needed to provide this documentation to a former foster youth who has requested it. The California Youth Connection writes in support of the bill that many critical programs and benefits have aimed to close these gaps in achievement and well-being for former foster youth: expanded Medi-Cal, FAFSA, priority college course work enrollment and more. However, CYC states that in some unique cases, eligible former foster youth are unable to access these necessary supports because they cannot verify their foster youth status. Currently, when a foster youth leaves care at the age of 18, her or she is provided with a letter verifying their status as a former foster youth, including the dates of care. For former foster youth who no longer have this document or were not provided it because they left care before the age of 18, verification can be requested from the county. While this process is typically uncomplicated, financial aid officers, health care professionals and other supportive adults AB 592 (Mark Stone) PageD of? have reported unique cases in which accessing verification documents proves challenging. This most often occurs when the youth has lived in multiple counties, cannot identify the county that had jurisdiction over their case and are unable to make contact with their former social worker. In these instances, the youth may give up on obtaining verification or miss important deadlines that disqualify them from receiving critical supports. Post-Secondary Educational Attainment for Former Foster Youth A 2013 report published by the Stuart Foundation entitled "At Greater Risk: California Foster Youth and the Path from High School to College," states that foster youth confront multiple risk factors for low educational attainment including disabilities, language barriers, emotional trauma, lower educational attainment in high school, and less of a support system due to disrupted social connections. The report states that foster youth are among the most vulnerable young Californians, are more likely to attend schools with low performance rankings according to the Academic Performance Index, and that about one quarter of foster youth have a disability, in contrast to one-tenth of the general population. Additionally, a December 2005 report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy entitled, "Higher Education Opportunities for Foster Youth," states that of the foster youth who complete high school and are college-qualified, only about 20% enrolled in higher education compared to about 60% of their peers. In 2011 there were between 600 and 800 former foster youth attending the University of California, 1,200 attending the California State University system, and 6,500 attending the California community college system.<1> California provides numerous supports specifically targeted to current and former foster youth in higher education including priority registration at most campuses, substantially reduced community college tuition, a number of other initiatives and financial aid opportunities, and Guardian Scholars Programs available on many community college and CSU campuses which offer housing, tuition, and academic support to former foster youth. --------------------------- <1> Assembly Higher Education analysis of AB 194 (Beall, Statutes of 2011, Chapter 458). AB 592 (Mark Stone) PageE of? Access to Healthcare for Former Foster Youth A recent study performed by Northwest Foster Care Alumni found that one-third of emancipated foster youth had no health insurance, a rate that is roughly double that of young adults ages 18 to 44 nationally. The study also found that more than half of emancipated foster youth had one or more mental disorders and experienced post-traumatic stress at twice the rate that of U.S. war veterans.<2> Pursuant to federal law under the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999<3> and the Affordable Care Act, California permits children who are transitioning out of foster care to continue their Medi-Cal coverage under the Former Foster Care Children (FFCC) program up to age 26. In order to be eligible for FFCC, an individual must have aged out of Foster Care at age 18 or older. Former Foster Care status must be verified in order for the individual to be eligible for FFCC.<4> PRIOR VOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Assembly Floor: |74 - | | |0 | |-----------------------------------------------------------+-----| |Assembly Appropriations Committee: |17 - | | |0 | |-----------------------------------------------------------+-----| |Assembly Human Services Committee: |7 - | | |0 | ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- <2> NGA Center for Best Practices. http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/0701YOUTH.PDF <3> P.L. No. 106-169 <4> http://coveredtil26.childrennow.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/FF CC-Desk-Aid-3.pdf AB 592 (Mark Stone) PageF of? POSITIONS Support: Children Now (Sponsor) Advokids California Alliance of Child and Family Services California Youth Connection Children's Advocacy Institute Children's Law Center of California Children's Right Project at Public Counsel John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes National Center for Youth Law Santa Cruz County Children's Network Oppose: None received. -- END --